Quality statement 5: Data collection and feedback

Quality statement

Rationale

Monitoring and reviewing prescribing data enables individuals and teams responsible for antimicrobial stewardship to check adherence to local formularies, provide feedback, recognise good practice and to challenge inappropriate prescribing. It also allows peer review, and identifying training needs and areas for quality improvement.

Quality measures

Structure

a) Evidence of local arrangements to deliver an antimicrobial stewardship programme.

Data source: Local data collection.

b) Evidence of local arrangements and processes to ensure that individuals and teams responsible for antimicrobial stewardship monitor data and provide feedback on prescribing practice at prescriber, team, organisation and commissioner level.

Data source: Local data collection.

Process

a) Proportion of prescribers who receive feedback on their antimicrobial prescribing practice.

Numerator – the number in the denominator who receive feedback on their antimicrobial prescribing practice.

Denominator – the number of prescribers.

Data source:Local data collection.

b) Proportion of teams within an organisation that receive feedback on their antimicrobial prescribing practice.

Numerator – the number in the denominator that receive feedback on their antimicrobial prescribing practice.

Denominator – the number of teams prescribing antimicrobials within an organisation.

Data source: Local data collection.

c) Proportion of organisations within a specified commissioning area that receive feedback on their antimicrobial prescribing practice.

Numerator – the number in the denominator that receive feedback on their antimicrobial prescribing practice.

Denominator – the number of organisations prescribing antimicrobials within a specified commissioning area.

Outcome

Antimicrobial prescribing rates.

What the quality statement means for service providers, prescribers and commissioners

Service providers (such as hospitals, GP practices, walk‑in centres, dental practices, pharmacies, community health services) ensure that systems are in place for individuals and teams responsible for antimicrobial stewardship within the service to monitor data and provide feedback on prescribing at prescriber, team, organisation and commissioner level. The frequency and specific content of the feedback should be agreed locally between commissioners and service providers.

Prescribers receive feedback on their individual antimicrobial prescribing practice and the antimicrobial prescribing practice of their team, organisation and commissioning group from individuals and teams responsible for antimicrobial stewardship within the organisation.

Commissioners (clinical commissioning groups, NHS England) ensure that they commission services that have individuals and teams responsible for antimicrobial stewardship who monitor data and provide feedback on antimicrobial prescribing practice at prescriber, team, organisation and commissioner level. The frequency and specific content of the feedback should be agreed locally between commissioners and service providers.

What the quality statement means for patients, people using services and carers

People receive care from healthcare professionals whose prescribing of antimicrobials is monitored to make sure that it is safe and appropriate.

Source guidance

Definitions of terms used in this quality statement

Antimicrobial stewardship

The term 'antimicrobial stewardship' is defined as an organisational or healthcare‑system‑wide approach to promoting and monitoring judicious use of antimicrobials to preserve their future effectiveness.